Of Thorns and Lions
by AlexisMink
Summary: Briarheart is just a regular Thistleclan warrior. Lion is a coldhearted rogue. When the two meet, each step they take could bring the four clans of the valley to peace or war. Rated T for (future) cussing.
1. Allegiances

_Far away from the four clans Thunder, Wind, Shadow and River, Thistle, Petal, Moor and Slate reign supreme. Deep in the heart of Thistleclan a kit is born on the night of a blood moon. The rain was pouring hard, but the she-cat that mothered the small kit heard nothing but the creak of the many kinds of thistles, brambles and plants of thorns guarding the nursery. "Briarkit. You will be Briarkit." She said with a lick on the mewling kit's ears, and returned to the rest of her litter._

 _Across the land, a small tom by the name of Lion crouches down and stalks a shrew. With a swift bite to the neck, the animal is dead and Lion has hunted his first prey. The rain poured relentlessly as he returned back to his family den, unaware of the small miracle of another cat's birth. He looks up at the bloodied moon and sighed, breaking into a sprint. The wind ruffled his fur as he retreats into his hollow where his father is waiting. Lion drops the shrew at his father's feet, chest full of pride. He was only two moons old and had already caught his first prey._

 **Allegiances**

 **Thistleclan**

 **Leader:** Fernstar - Sleek grey she-cat with amber eyes.

 **Deputy:** Rainfur - White tom with grey flecks and green eyes.

 **Medicine cat:** Goosedust - Scarred brown tom with amber.

 **Medicine cat apprentice:** Larkshine - Tan tabby she-cat with bright blue eyes.

 **Warriors:**

Ravensong - Golden tabby she-cat with blue eyes.

Sparrowfeather - Brown tabby tom with blue eyes and lots of scars.

Whitemask - Fluffy grey brindled tom with a white face mask and stormy grey eyes. Mate is Rosethorn.

Larkfrost - Silver she-cat with short fur and bright hazel eyes.

Crowfoot - Large cream tom with blue eyes and one black foot. Mates with Willowfur

Harebelly - Brown and white tom with yellow eyes. Mate is Brookheart. Son is Eaglepaw.

Quailstripe - Brown she-cat with one white stripe down her back and brown eyes.

Otterslip - Black tom with amber eyes.

Brookheart - Grey she-cat with black speckles. Mate is Harebelly. Apprentice is Lilypaw. Son is Eaglepaw.

Brackenflame - Grey tom with white blaze on his forehead and green eyes.

Dawnstep - Tan she-cat with blue-grey eyes.

Mousepelt - Brown tabby tom with yellow eyes.

 **Apprentices:**

Sootpaw - Black tom with blue eyes and grey paws. Mentor is Ravensong

Oakpaw - Brown and white tabby she-cat with green eyes. Mentor is Crowfoot

Lilypaw - White she-cat with amber eyes. Mentor is Brookheart

Eaglepaw - Wite and brown patched tom with brown eyes. Mentor is Sparrowfeather

 **Queens:**

Willowfur - Bluish-grey tabby she-cat with pale blue eyes. Mother to Ashkit, Stormkit and Briarkit

Tawnypelt - Tan and brown tabby she-cat with green eyes. Mother to Pansykit and Gorsekit

Rosethorn - Russet she-cat expecting Whitemask's kits

 **Elders:**

Yellow Petunia - Ancient yellowish she-cat with pale green eyes.

Stonepelt - Grey and black tabby tom with grey eyes

 **Rogues:**

Sunny - light yellow tabby tom. Very strong. Father to Lion and Cloud.

Rose - Light yellow tabby she-cat with blue eyes. Mother to Lion and Cloud.

Lion - Young tom resembling his father.

Cloud - Young tom resembling his mother.


	2. Chapter 1 (Briar)

Hello. Thanks for reading this chapter. Reviews are always welcome! This will be updated once a week, mostly on wendsdays, but may be sped up if it gains popularity. The first few chapters will be a bit boring, unfortunately.

Written listening to: Papaoutai by Stromae

Chapter 1: Briarkit's POV

Briarkit tumbled out of the nursery, a big goofy smile on her face. Her mother was still inside, sleeping, like most of the other cats at the moment. The pale light of dawn was just beginning to touch Thistleclan's camp. Young paws trotted over to a ledge that overlooked the rising sun. As she usually did, Briarkit watched with satisfaction as the sun stained the grey sky brilliant hues of pink and yellow. Waking up early to see the sun rise isn't usually what kits her age were up to.

Games of mossball and badgering their mothers about when they become an apprentice usually filled their days. But not Briarkit. At least, not now. The sun rising was one of her favorite things to do after her father showed it to her once. Every moment she spent with her father she cherished, not knowing when she would get another.

He was a very important warrior but not the deputy. Yet. Briarkit remembered how he had promised her mother that he would secure the Deputy position soon. For many moons, over and over again. She didn't know why, but it seemed like it was very important for him to get the position.

The kit watched the sun creep over the horizon, bathing the rock she laid upon in it's golden rays. She smiled while thinking of her family and all that she held dear. Crowfoot, Willowfur, Ashkit, and Stormkit.

A few hours later

Back in the nursery, Briarkit blinked her eyes open. She had snuck back in before her family woke up so they didn't know she had been out.

But she had been out, all the same. The kit stalked out of the moss bed she shared with her mother, brother and sister. She padded out of the den and looked around the camp, hoping to run into another cat. The clan was all out at either patrols or a hunting party except the queens elders and one warrior. Sparrowfeather and his apprentice Eaglepaw were perched on a stump near the entrance to the camp. Apparently they were the ones that were to guard them.

Briarkit crept back in the nursery and flattened her ears. She was intimidated by Eaglepaw. His intense gaze always freaked her out. But yet, she liked him. He was good-natured and funny but sometimes took his duty as a future warrior a little too hard.

The kit spotted her mother back in the den. The den itself was cozy, to say the least. Made out of bracken and other sorts of thorns (a Thistleclan tradition), it was painful to fall against the walls. All of the nests were in the middle of the den to help keep the cats inside warm.

Back further in the den was the stone wall that enclosed all of Thistleclan's camp. The camp was nestled in a ravine with lots of small caves to have dens in. All in all, Briatkit thought it was the most amazing thing to live in. Ever. Even if she had never put a paw outside of it. But still, it was cool.

Briarkit peeked out of the thorny den, and watched Eaglepaw and Sparrowfeather. The kit's tail flicked over her paws as she sat quietly. When Eaglepaw glanced over his shoulder and spotted Briarkit, the young cat shyed away back into the den.

Blushing, the kit padded back into the nest where her siblings and mother slept. Tommorow was a new day, she supposed.


End file.
